Draft History: Jaguars select well with running backs, defensive line and secondary

Feb 26

Draft History: Jaguars select well with running backs, defensive line and secondary

Like other teams that have come into existence over the past 25 years (wow, does that make me feel old!), the Jacksonville Jaguars have had a limited chance to draft high impact players. While the team has made some great picks at running back, defensive line and in the secondary, the Jaguars have not done as well at some other positions, especially quarterback. Jacksonville hopes its fortunes have changed thanks to three successful picks over the past couple of years, two of which made the Pro Bowl in 2019.

BEST

10. (tie) Josh Allen, LB (Round 1, Pick 7 in 2019), D. J. Chark, WR (Round 2, Pick 61 in 2018) and Gardner Minshew, QB (Round 6, Pick 178 in 2019) - Unlike more established teams, Jacksonville’s smaller sample size allows their newer draft picks to get their due on these lists. Allen was an All-American and winner of the Bednarik Award as the best defensive player in college football in 2018. He amassed 10½ sacks and forced two fumbles, which allowed him to make the All-Rookie Team and replace Super Bowl participant Frank Clark in the Pro Bowl. After finishing his rookie year with just 14 receptions, Chark took a step forward in 2019. He totaled 73 catches for 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns, and was named to the Pro Bowl as a replacement for Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill. When the Jaguars signed Super Bowl hero Nick Foles, Minshew, a sixth-round pick and the 2018 Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, was an afterthought. However, when Foles broke his clavicle, “Minshew Mania” began. The Washington State product threw for 3,271 yards and 21 touchdowns to just six interceptions while leading Jacksonville to a 6-6 record, including coming back from 16-3 down in the final five minutes to beat the Raiders in their final game in Oakland in Week 15.

9. (tie) John Henderson, DT (Round 1, Pick 9 in 2002) and Marcus Stroud, DT (Round 1, Pick 13 in 2001) - Henderson went to a pair of Pro Bowls, and his 29 sacks rank fifth in team history and tops among defensive tackles. He made the All-Rookie Team after registering a career-high 6½ sacks in 2002 and had eight tackles and a sack in the 2007 Division Round loss to the Patriots, which made New England 17-0. Henderson paired with Stroud, who was drafted in the first round the year prior, to form “Hurricane Henderstroud” in the middle of Jacksonville’s defensive line. Stroud made three straight Pro Bowls from 2003-05, played in every game over his first five seasons and 100 overall with the Jaguars. However, he did receive a four-game suspension in 2007 for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy.

8. David Garrard, QB (Round 4, Pick 108 in 2002) - The East Carolina product ranks third in team history with 16,003 yards and 89 touchdowns while posting a 39-37 record in Jacksonville. He had a pair of 3,000-yard seasons, including 3,597 yards in 2009 when he made his only Pro Bowl. Garrard’s solid career includes 17 game-winning drives and leading the Jaguars to the Division Round in 2007. His career ended shortly after Jacksonville released him following the 2011 season due to a herniated disk in his back and knee swelling.

7. Tony Brackens, DE (Round 2, Pick 33 in 1996) - The 1995 All-American from Texas is Jacksonville’s all-time leader with 55 sacks, including a career-high 12 in 1999, when he made his lone Pro Bowl. He also tops the team’s list with 27 forced fumbles (leading the NFL twice) and leads all Jaguars defensive players with 13 fumble recoveries. Brackens started in the franchise’s first two visits to the AFC Championship Game (1996 against the Patriots and 1999 versus the Titans).

6. Jalen Ramsey, CB (Round 1, Pick 5 in 2016) - In three full seasons with the Jaguars, Ramsey was a two-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in 2017. He had an interception that sealed Jacksonville’s win over Buffalo in the Wild Card round, and he helped the Jaguars reach the AFC Championship Game. He made 199 tackles during his stay in northern Florida, but he only had nine interceptions, a testament to his coverage skills and opposing quarterbacks not wanting to put him to the test. Ramsey’s one problem was his attitude, and he was not always easy to get along with, even if you were on his side. An altercation with Jaguars coach Doug Marrone led to Ramsey being benched and ultimately resulted in him being traded to the Rams in October 2019.

5. Rashean Mathis, CB (Round 2, Pick 39 in 2003) - The former second-round pick made the most of his opportunity in Jacksonville. He amassed a team-record 30 interceptions, which is twice as many as the next player on the list, and his 99 passes defensed are also the most in franchise history. The former Bethune-Cookman star earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors after an eight-interception, 63-tackle season in 2006.

4. Yannick Ngakoue, DE (Round 3, Pick 69 in 2016) - Brackens may not be the team’s sack leader for very long. Ngakoue has 37½ in his four seasons, including 12 in 2017, when he made the Pro Bowl. The Maryland product also ranks second behind Brackens with 14 forced fumbles, with a league-leading six in 2017.

3. Maurice Jones-Drew, RB (Round 2, Pick 60 in 2006) - While first-round pick, tight end Marcedes Lewis, has had a long NFL career, “MJD” is clearly the best of the team’s selections from 2006. The All-American from UCLA went to three straight Pro Bowls. He also had three 1,000-yard seasons, including 2011, when he was an All-Pro after leading the NFL with 1,606 yards. Jones-Drew had double-digit touchdowns three times and is the franchise’s all-time leader with 68.

2. Tony Boselli, T (Round 1, Pick 2 in 1995) - Jacksonville used their first-ever draft pick on Boselli, a three-time All-American from USC. Although he only played seven seasons, Boselli was selected as a Pro Bowler in five straight years and was also a three-time All-Pro. He was so dominant and well-liked that a local McDonald’s offered a “Boselli Burger” in his honor. However, after leading Jacksonville to AFC Championship Games in 1996 and ’99, a torn ACL plus a chronic shoulder injury led the team to leave him exposed in the 2002 Expansion Draft. The Texans selected Boselli, but he was forced to retire due to his injuries.

1. Fred Taylor, RB (Round 1, Pick 9 in 1998) - Taylor is Jacksonville’s all-time leader with 11,271 yards and ranks second with 62 touchdowns. He had seven 1,000-yard seasons, including 1,202 in 2007 when he went to the Pro Bowl for his only time. Despite his success, Taylor missed most of two seasons with hamstring and groin injuries, earning him the nickname “Fragile Fred” from fans and reporters. However, he shined in the playoffs, rushing for 162 yards and a touchdown in a Wild Card win over the Patriots in 1998, and totaling 245 yards and a score in the 1999 playoffs, helping the Jaguars reach the AFC Championship Game.

WORST

10. Eugene Monroe, T (Round 1, Pick 8 in 2009) – The 2009 Draft was known for having several offensive linemen amass long, solid careers (Andre Smith, Michael Oher, Phil Loadholt, Sebastian Vollmer, and Will Beatty), but no true superstars. Monroe paired with second-round pick Eben Britton to form a rookie starting tackle tandem in Jacksonville, and he started 62 games over four full years. He was traded to Baltimore four games into the 2013 season and had three injury-plagued years (knee, ankle, concussion, shoulder) before retiring in 2016. After his playing career, Monroe has become an advocate for the use of medical marijuana and has lobbied the NFL to take cannabis off the banned substance list.

9. Dante Fowler, LB (Round 1, Pick 3 in 2015) – The problem with newer teams, such as the Jaguars, Panthers, and Texans, is there are fewer picks to pick from for “best” and “worst” lists. Monroe and Fowler are victims of this, ending up on this side of the list simply because of their short careers in Jacksonville after being selected early. Fowler missed his rookie season after tearing his ACL, but rebounded to play every game over the next two years. Before the 2018 season, he was suspended one game for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, and was traded to the Rams for a pair of draft picks that October. Fowler had 14 sacks with Jacksonville, but his biggest moment came when he made four tackles for Los Angeles in Super Bowl LIII. In December 2019, the league determined that the Jaguars had improperly fined Fowler $700,000 for not attending rehab and medical appointments that the team said were mandatory, but should have been voluntary under the collective bargaining agreement. The incident led to Jacksonville firing the chief of football operations Tom Coughlin.

8. Blake Bortles, QB (Round 1, Pick 3 in 2014) – The former Central Florida standout ranks second in Jaguars history with 17,646 passing yards and 103 touchdowns, but is seen as a disappointment by many fans, thanks to a 24-49 record. He had his best season statistically in 2015, when he registered career highs with 4,428 yards and 35 touchdowns, but also led the NFL with 18 interceptions. Two years later, he led the Jaguars to a 10-6 record and an AFC South title. Bortles threw the only touchdown in a 10-3 win over the Bills in the Wild Card round, and added 214 yards and a score in a 45-42 victory against the Steelers the following week. He threw for 293 yards and a touchdown and Jacksonville had a 20-10 lead on the road before Tom Brady tossed two fourth-quarter scoring passes to Danny Amendola and the Patriots came back to win. After a 3-13 season in 2018, the Jaguars brought in Super Bowl-winning quarterback Nick Foles and released Bortles, who now backs up Jared Goff with the Rams.

7. Blaine Gabbert, QB (Round 1, Pick 10 in 2011) – A little further down Jacksonville’s passing yards list is Gabbert, who was drafted behind Cam Newton and Jake Locker in 2011. Gabbert failed to impress as a rookie, despite setting career highs with 2,214 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was sacked 40 times, led all quarterbacks with 14 fumbles, and his 50.8 completion percentage was second-worst in the NFL behind only Tim Tebow. The next two seasons were injury-riddled (torn labrum, broken thumb, lacerated right hand) and Gabbert was released. He played three years in San Francisco, where he succeeded in causing the NFL several years of headaches by outplaying Colin Kaepernick to earn the starting job. After one season each in Arizona and Tennessee, Gabbert signed with Tampa Bay, where he spent the 2019 season on injured reserve with a dislocated shoulder.

6. Reggie Williams, WR (Round 1, Pick 9 in 2004) – Williams had all the potential to be a productive NFL wide receiver, but did not have consistency. His first season was disappointing and his second included a concussion. In 2006, he was playing well until starting quarterback Byron Leftwich suffered an ankle injury and he was replaced by David Garrard. Williams had his best season in 2007, setting career-highs with 629 yards and a team-record 10 touchdowns (since broken by Allen Robinson, who had 14 scores in 2015). His production fell off in 2008 and he was released by the Jaguars. Williams was arrested for cocaine possession outside a night club in 2009, which resulted in him being tasered. After failing to latch on with the Seahawks and spending a year each with the United Football League and the CFL, Williams has been out of football.

5. Derrick Harvey, DE (Round 1, Pick 8 in 2008) – Harvey was the MVP of Florida’s win in the BCS National Championship Game in 2007 and parlayed that into being a top 10 draft pick. He was the first defensive end taken in the first round in team history, but he also set a franchise record by holding out for 38 days before signing a five-year deal. Harvey played in 47 games and totaled eight sacks over three seasons before Jacksonville released him. After a one-year stint with the Broncos in 2011 and a training camp, released the following year with the Bengals, he was out of the NFL.

4. R. Jay Soward, WR (Round 1, Pick 29 in 2000) – Sometimes, players just need the right scheme and coaching staff to reach their potential. That was the case with Soward, who felt he should have been drafted by the Saints in the second round, and was unable to handle the pressure of being a first-round pick. However, his actions seem to show he wouldn’t have excelled no matter what team he played for. Soward had issues with alcohol and Jacksonville head coach Tom Coughlin went as far as sending a limo to his house just to make sure he showed up to team meetings and practices. He was suspended multiple times for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, including 10 games in 2001 and all of the 2002 season. Soward did not take to NFL-sponsored rehab, so he left the league and spent the next three years with the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts. He was released in 2006 and his only football since was a stint with the Ontario (Calif.) Warriors of the now-defunct American Indoor Football league.

3. Luke Joeckel, T (Round 1, Pick 2 in 2013) – The 2012 All-American and Outland Trophy winner (best interior lineman in college football) was among the candidates to be the first overall pick in 2013. Instead, the Chiefs took Eric Fisher and Joeckel went to the Jaguars, where he started 39 games in four seasons. He missed 11 games as a rookie with an ankle injury. A move from the right side to his natural left tackle position didn’t help and, after knee surgery in 2016, the Jaguars released him. Joeckel spent one season in Seattle before retiring in 2018. He currently organizes student camps and volunteers with the football team at his alma mater, Arlington High School.

2. Matt Jones, WR (Round 1, Pick 21 in 2005) – Jones was a quarterback who was a good runner and even led his Arkansas squad to a victory over Eli Manning and Ole Miss in an NCAA-record seven overtimes as a freshman. He converted to wide receiver in the NFL and was a surprise first-round pick, since he had never been a full-time player at the position. Jones’ vice was drugs, and he was suspended for three games in 2008 after being arrested for possession of cocaine. The following year, he was arrested again, this time for violating probation by having alcohol in his system for a drug test. The Jaguars released him and he never played in the NFL again. The Packers selected Aaron Rodgers at 24 and three picks after that, the Jags could have had four-time Pro Bowl receiver Roddy White.

1. Justin Blackmon, WR (Round 1, Pick 5 in 2012) – So, how do you top someone who had his career ruined by drugs and alcohol? Simple, you find someone who had MORE of the same issues. Blackmon was a two-time All-American at Oklahoma State and the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2010. His first season in Jacksonville started off well, with 865 yards and five touchdowns, but it went downhill from there. Blackmon was arrested for DUI in early June of 2012 and was given a four-game suspension the following year for drugs. After returning from the suspension and groin surgery, he had 326 yards in his first two games, but was suspended again, this time indefinitely, for another substance-abuse violation. Blackmon was arrested for possession of marijuana, costing him the 2014 season and the league also denied his request for reinstatement in 2015. The NFL fought a potential contract in Canada, and Blackmon spent a year in jail after a DUI arrest. He remains with Jacksonville on the team’s reserve list, but after five years out of the game, it is unlikely he will ever play again in the NFL.

Next: Cleveland Browns

-By: Kevin Rakas